And yet.
Nowadays, folks who are planning to have their feet washed during the ritual enactment of Jesus' foot-washing take pity on those who wash feet. They wash their own feet in advance, maybe even manicure them, making sure every last trace of "ewww" is gone.
I might have done this, too, but in the midst of preparing to sing many new-to-me hymns for liturgy, I forgot.
At my parish, anyone can have her feet washed. As the foot-washing ritual got underway, it looked as though everyone was choosing to do this. So despite my dirty feet, I went forward.
Exposing my feet, allowing the clean hands of another to wash them, was humiliating. And in my humiliation, a new gateway for grace manifested.
What a gift to receive the blessing of the holy other who beheld my uncleanness and loved me anyway.
Isn't this receiving and giving the entirety of the Christian call?